11 replies to this topic

[WickedTico]

Another Floridian just joined the forum. Looking to start a colony. Bought an Ant Farm for my son, but when I went to order Ants, I noticed there is no queen. So started researching and found a ridiculous amount of information and now I think I've been bit by the Ant keeping bug.

 

Looking to populate a small Ant Farm with a queen. Already pondering what new habitat to order as it grows.

[Saftron]

Welcome to the forum!

[WickedTico]

So I am leaning toward Camponotus novaeboracensis. They look great, seem hearty, I understand this is a stinging species but at least it doesnt swarm like fire ants. Hopefully I can procure a queen here in Florida.

[MrmrGatlin]

We don't get C. Novaboracensis here in Fl. The 2 you'll see the most is c. Floridanus and c. Tortuganus. There also seems to be areas that have dense populations of c. Planatus. If you can find them, any of those are solid options from what I've heard.
And welcome to the Florida clan!

Edited by MrmrGatlin, August 10 2016 - 5:15 PM.

[WickedTico]

Cool, thanks for the info!

[LC3]

Welcome to the forum.

 

P.S No species in the genus Camponotus sting, they do however spray formic acid.

[MrmrGatlin]

Floridanus has a pretty strong bite though! Lol people where I'm from call them army ants(incorrectly I know)

[WickedTico]

So I opted to get some workers mail order to get my son started and keep him interested while I try to either find a queen outside, or find a way to buy one locally. Should get here tomorrow.

[Air]

Camponotus Floridanus are flying, I saw a couple flights. Didn't have any containers on me at the time. I have 1 Camponotus noverboracensis colony from a trip up to Ohio, and those are the only "foreign" ants I have. I'm not worried about her getting out and ruining stuff, as they would die in the summer down here. Solenopsis invicta may be a fun start, they grow big, attack live bugs, and have ferocious appetites. However, they are rather small, and do sting, so keep that in mind. Depending where you are, Solenopsis invicta are actually polygynous. At the minute, I have a few colonies of them , 1 test tube had 3 queens, which I found both dead, another has 5, all alive, 1 with 1 queen, who is doing fine, and a colony with 7 who have SO much brood. They don't have a proper set up, so I'm hoping I can get them somewhere after workers. They also are pretty hard to take care of once they reach a big size, they can take down a full bottle of Byformicas ant nectar in a couple days. If you want to find a queen, look in pools everyday after a rain storm, that's how I find most of mine. If you want to go the buying route, there's a GAN farmer about an hour away, selling 5 different species. http://www.antscanad...-ants-for-sale/

Also, I just got bit my a Camponotus Floridanus queen a few days ago, she broke some skin! 

[WickedTico]

Wow crazy bite...

 

I did find Camponotus Floridanus today! But I couldn't catch a queen. Soooo many majors. I almost caught one queen...but I wasn't prepared. She was walking with what I thought was another queen and a 4-5 workers...are they polygynous? May just have been another worker...but i was pretty convinced before i made them all scramble.

[Air]

They are actually very easy to find and catch! Go out into the woods, and try to find a small colony in a log. Put the log in a bucket with some fluon lined at the top and slowly pick them out! Make sure its not a satellite colony though, so I recommend checking the log where you find it,

[WickedTico]

check it how...make sure there isn't a line of ants walking back and forth from another location?